4 Tips To Fix Unresponsive iPhone 4/ 4S Home Button

It’s hard to image an iPhone user who has not experienced the difficulties with the Home button, regardless how cautious he or she is about keeping the device safe and intact. Luckily the iPhone 5 minimizes the chance of the Home Button getting unresponsive by bringing a new anatomy of it. However, older iPhone users still experience the difficulty. Below you’ll find four easy tips on how to fix the iPhone problems by yourself. However, here’s a disclaimer – if you happen to improperly implement any of the methods provided below, we remove responsibility on the consequences. So, with the formalities behind, let’s get started.

First method to try is to Calibrate, but note that this only works when slow-to-respond Home Button is due to a software glitch. Here’s how to do it – launch any stock app, such as the Clock and hold down the Sleep Button until "Slide to power off" appears. Once it’s on, release the Sleep Button and hold down the Home Button. The app should close after about 5-10 seconds. However, if it doesn’t solve your problem, restore your iPhone before moving to the next method.

So if you’re still reading this, it seems Calibration didn’t help. This time we recommend realigning the docking port for making your Home Button conscious. The video below describes how to do it properly, and considering the amount of likes the video has gained, compared to the dislikes it’s got, we can assume that this one should definitely work for you:

Unsurprisingly, the reason for your iPhone Home Button stubbornness is often the dirt in the bottom of your purse or pocket, a splash of soda or the sticky hands you hold it with. So the next method is cleaning the Home Button with 98-99% isopropyl alcohol usually available at hardware stores and a cotton swab, a tissue or an eye dropper. Here’s how to do it: apply 2-3 drops of the alcohol directly to the home button and repeatedly tap it with a narrow, dull object such as an eraser at the end of a pencil. Let the alcohol seep into the frame, but avoid the screen. Stay patient for about 10-15 minutes and then check if that did the trick.

If you’re still reading, it seems your iPhone’s Home Button is completely defunct, with its connectors being misaligned. In such a case, there’s no way out but to apply to the professional repair service. However, there’s an alternative accessibility option for non-functioning buttons as well, enabling you to still use your phone via on-screen home button. It's hardly an ideal solution, but it'll hold you over until you're ready to purchase a new phone or get your current one fixed.

To activate it, navigate to Settings > General > Accessibility and turn the Assistive Touch option on. Once you’ve done, you’ll notice a small circle appear on screen. This circle will give you four options when tapped - Home, Siri, More and Favorites. Use this on-screen button every time you need to access your home screen, start Siri, or get all the options you'd typically see when you double-tap the home button. You’re free to simply relocate the on-screen Home Button anywhere on the screen by tapping and holding it, anytime it gets in the way.